This week the world briefly slows as we take time to commemorate Christmas. For most, a time of celebrating over Jesus’ birth; God becomes a man, born as an impoverished child destined to die for the crimes of others despite His own perfection, thus paving the way for restore relationship between Creator and creation.

Even if you don’t accept the Christian aspects of Christmas, you hopefully have an opportunity to relax and spend time with friends or family.

This week LU will be spending time with loved ones, so there will be no Daily Update until Thursday. A few items of interest will be posted throughout the week on LU Facebook.

As in past years, readers who appreciate the service provided here are asked to show their support by giving back to the community. The Care Mission, Four Points, and Kids 4 Christ are legitimate local charities that can use your time and money all year long. Our woefully underfunded local libraries are also in need of support.

Thanks to all who read the LaFayette Underground both here and on Facebook or Twitter – even those of you who don’t admit it. Have a Merry Christmas filled with peace and love.

It’s December 21st, first day of winter and supposed end of the world – but here we are. Very windy today, but the world spins on otherwise.

Walker County continues not to have Commissioner meetings; This week’s cancelled meeting makes 64 days with no public meeting of county government. EMA Director David Ashburn said on UCTV that Bebe will have a meeting NEXT Thursday, two days after Christmas, to sign paperwork for the fire department before year ends.

Name That Face: Do you recognize the woman in the stripe sweater? She was involved in “financial card fraud” at Walmart. Call LPD if you have any ideas.

There was some vague rumor about violence at Ridgeland Thursday, the rumors spread to Rossville Middle, but none of the threat were credible. Ridgeland’s SRO was “away from school at a training session” which left teachers to check out the building and verify student safety.

LU is on light duty this week before Christmas; Daily Updates will be posted Monday-Wednesday-Friday only.

Contractors working for LaFayette Housing Authority expect to have the thirty new apartments on Culberson/Steele and Foster Circle done in July. Foundations at both sites could be poured in January.

LU has been following the development of this project since 2010 with posts here, here, and here.

Friday’s tragedy in Connecticut has pushed some Georgia schools to review their security/emergency procedures, and some have added a police presence to reassure the public about school safety. Do you feel Walker schools are secure, or is the same conversation needed here?

“Georgia PTA President Donna Kosicki says every state school has a plan of action in case of an emergency, but parents also must do their part.”

What part can parents play in an emergency? They don’t tell you anything when it’s happening, you can’t go rush in and take your child home during a lockdown… For security reasons, parents don’t even know what procedures schools have for these kinds of emergencies. The only part a parent might play in this would be not sending their child to school with a gun, or not sending their child to school at all.

Nominee for dumbest quote of the month.

On the same sad subject: In February, Connecticut proposed a bill that would have allowed officials to put someone like school shooter Adam Lanza into a mental institution; the measure died due to concerns that it would infringe on civil rights of the mentally ill.

Georgia, like Connecticut, has laws that allow people to be institutionalized only after they’ve harmed others or themselves, not when they’re deemed a risk.

Georgia’s network of hospitals for those who WERE institutionalized has been mostly dismantled by a lawsuit settlement between the state and Department of Justice. Most mental health treatment in this state is now being handled by outpatient centers (actually local jails) with mentally ill and disabled people living in group homes or just on the street instead of in mental hospitals.

LU will be on light duty this week before Christmas; Daily Updates will be posted Monday-Wednesday-Friday only.

A fire broke out at Georgia Northwestern Technical College in Rock Spring around 7 PM Saturday night. Fire crews were initially called out to GNTC’s 400 building, but found the fire in nearby building 200, which has recently been undergoing construction work.

According to the GNTC Facebook page, in a post now removed, the fire was minor: “Fire dept responded to an alarm…. damage was over one room. Water damage mostly. All handled with minimal damage.”

So far there has been no media coverage of the fire beyond Underground posts here and on Facebook, and no official confirmation that there WAS a fire beyond the removed post on GNTC’s Facebook. Hopefully more details will be available today.

Friday’s elementary school shooting in Connecticut is, thank God, not local news. But it certainly puts life, and petty things like.. well everything else.. into perspective.

Be grateful this Christmas and New Year for what you have, especially your children and family. Nothing else really matters in comparison.

WQCH Radio, 12/15/12: “FLAGS IN GEORGIA WILL FLY AT HALF-STAFF UNTIL DECEMBER 18th TO MOURN THE 20 CHILDREN AND 6 ADULTS KILLED AT A CONNECTICUT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ON FRIDAY. ..GOVERNOR NATHAN DEAL SIGNED THE ORDER, SAYING ‘THE RESIDENTS OF GEORGIA SHARE THE GRIEF OF THE FAMILY AND FRIENDS OF THOSE WHO WERE KILLED AND INJURED’.”

Despite rumors to the contrary, school in Walker County has NOT been cancelled today or tomorrow for the flu. If this happens, parents will be notified and the announcement will be shared on LU Facebook.

Apparently there’s a text message going around telling people to call the school system and complain about having class despite so many kids sick with the flu. Thing is, more kids were sick earlier this week than yesterday – so by the time anything is done (if anything) based on parent calls, the kids will already be on Christmas break. It’s OK, if your kid is sick don’t send them, and if you’re worried they’ll get sick, don’t send them. You’re the parent, make the choice that’s best for your family.

School wasn’t cancelled, but this week’s County Commissioner meeting was. Apparently Commissioner Bebe said on Hee-Haw UCTV Wednesday night she wouldn’t have one because she doesn’t feel like it. Professionalism, Walker County style.

Commissioner Meetings Skipped: October 25, November 1, November 8, November 15, November 22, November 29, December 6, December 13. Not including the OTHER meetings missed during the year, which seems like about every-other one.

Eight weeks of nothing, a time period in which the Commissioner was paid approximately $16,000 of her $105,000 annual salary. Normally commissioners who serve on a board only get paid for meetings they attend. There’s more to the Commissioner job than just meeting with the people, but if she doesn’t meet with the people, she’s not meeting a primary obligation of the position.

Time for another round of “name that face.” LPD needs to know if you recognize this lady, and several others, involved with recent incidents at Walmart.

WQCH Radio, 12/12/12: “LAFAYETTE MAYOR NEAL FLORENCE MADE SEVERAL APPOINTMENTS TO LOCAL BOARDS AT MONDAY’S COUNCIL MEETING. THE NEW APPOINTEES INCLUDE RONALD UNDERWOOD TO THE CITY PLANNING COMMISSION, FRANCES COBB TO THE ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS, AND ELLA JEAN BAKER AND BARBARA BERRY TO THE LOCAL LIBRARY BOARD OF TRUSTEES.”

So if you resign from one city committee like a baby because you don’t like them firing an incompetent leader, you get to serve on some other unrelated committee? How do they pick these committee people, besides personal relationship? Did the mayor talk to dozens of people about this or just choose the same handful of people they always choose?

Apparently committee positions are totally up to the mayor’s discretion, without input from the elected City Council – but committees have little authority to act on their own outside permission from a majority of the council.

“..COUNCILMAN BEN BRADFORD ALSO NOTED THE PASSING OF SUE HARRINGTON THIS WEEK. SHE AND HER HUSBAND HARRY WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR STARTING THE RECREATION PROGRAM IN THE CITY OF LAFAYETTE, IN THE MID-60’s.”

Sad to hear about Ms. Harrington. Half the people in LaFayette who know how to swim learned how from her.